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Old 27-02-2009, 09:21 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Christina Websell Christina Websell is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,869
Default mares/horse tail


"Ted" wrote in message
et...
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Ted" wrote ...
Just taken over an allotment thats is completely choked with the weed...
My idea is to plant in raised beds which I will dig out to about a foot
deep then put some weed suppressant down then backfill with the riddled
soil that I have dug out...Anyone tell me if this weed suppressant
fabric
will keep the mares tail at bay or does it have the power to grow
through


Couple of things Ted.

Your allotments must be so big and cheap if you can waste so much land
with paths. :-)
Weed suppressant will not keep Marestail at bay, it will grow through. It
does through tarmac.

We had Marestail on our last allotment and whilst we never eradicated it
constant hoeing did weakened it drastically so it became less of a
problem year on year. It's only unsightly anyway, so unless you intend to
go in for the local "in bloom" competition I would learn to live with it.

Thanks to all who replied...
The allotment is free of rent as it is in such poor condition...It is
covered with Twitch and Horse Tail..Also is quite damp and has Willows
and Reeds in places..



Hmmm. Twitch is bad but horsetail is worse and willows and reeds! Ask your
council to give you a better one unless you want to grow watercress only.
Councils are now obliged to provide allotment sites if (is it?) 6 or more
ask for them, could be more.
I think they tried it but failed.
Serves them right for selling off the original allotments for building.
I have a piece of land that my council are pleading with me now to lease it
to them for allotments for a peppercorn rent.
Yeah, right.
It cost me half the cost of my house when I bought it so the answer is no.

Tina